COVID 19: Madagascar Places Fresh Lockdown Amidst Cases Rise

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Madagascar Presidency yesterday announced that its capital Antananarivo has been placed under a fresh lockdown following a new surge in coronavirus infections, two months after the restrictions were eased.

In a statement, the presidency said, “The Analamanga region (under which the capital is situated) is returning to full lockdown.”

It went further to disclose that no traffic will be allowed in or out of the region starting Monday until July 20 as a strict curfew will be imposed on street movement by people.

“Only one person per household is allowed to go out into the street between 6:00 am (0400 GMT) and 12:00 pm (1000 GMT).

“This is because of the spread of the epidemic and the increase of COVID-19 cases,” said the statement.

” Madagascar has in recent days seen an exponential rise in daily numbers, jumping to a record 216 cases on Saturday. The latest tally came after 675 people were tested. Nearly 24,000 tests have so far been conducted on the impoverished island. By Sunday the country had a cumulative 2,728 cases, including 29 deaths since the virus was first detected on the Indian ocean island on March 20,” a report in AFP states.

Photo Source: Anadolu Agency